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Conversation 005-121

TapeTape 5StartThursday, June 17, 1971 at 8:21 PMEndThursday, June 17, 1971 at 8:24 PMTape start time03:41:01Tape end time03:44:06ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ford, Gerald R.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Representative Gerald R. Ford discuss recent legislative successes, noting the importance of these victories in demonstrating national strength to North Vietnam. The two also address the administration's aggressive stance against drug trafficking and the political controversy surrounding the New York Times' publication of the Pentagon Papers. Nixon instructs Ford to personally thank Congressman F. Edward Hébert for his role in the legislative wins while advising a cautious, hands-off approach regarding the media's handling of the classified documents.

Legislative agendaDrug controlPentagon PapersVietnam WarBipartisanshipF. Edward Hébert
AudioNARA Description

On June 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford talked on the telephone from 8:21 pm to 8:24 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 005-121 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 5-121

Date: June 17, 1971
Time: 8:21 pm - 8:24 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Gerald R. Ford.

     Nixon administration's recent legislative victories
         -Possible effect on North Vietnamese
         -President's possible call to F. Edward Hebert
         -President's bipartisan meeting, June 17, 1971, on drugs and drug traffic
               -Vietnam

     H.R.1

     New York Times and Pentagon Papers
         -Effect
         -Hubert H. Humphrey
         -Administration's response
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Yeah.
Congressman Foister.
Yeah.
There you are.
Hello?
Hi, Mr. President.
Well, the boys did very well today, didn't they?
They sure did.
They came through in great style.
We lost, I think, 21 or 22, and we won by 98 votes, which is a better margin.
and we won on a comparable vote a year ago.
That's really great, Jerry.
That's a marvelous job.
Our guys did real well.
Right, right.
Well, that's really great, and that Senate vote is really very heartening.
Well, it ought to tell the enemy that all this division is superficial rather than real.
Yeah, well, it also shows that the men that lead are not going to just follow polls and all the rest of them.
They're going to stand up, and we're ready to...
you know, to negotiate from strength rather than division.
Well, our guys did a good job, and I think if you had the time, a call to Eddie Hebert would be very appropriate.
Yeah, I see.
If he, you know, led the fight, carried the bill, and without his total cooperation, we would have had trouble.
Yeah, I'll be sure that I'll give him a call.
That was a good presentation this morning, I thought.
Well, I think we got them shook up a little on that.
And now our people should really ride this issue.
We're not in a partisan way, but we can make it our issue.
After all, this is, and mainly just to not let it just be zeroed in on Vietnam.
It's a national issue, and it'll be here long after Vietnam, and we're going to fight the drug traffic.
Well, it'll have a big public response.
And because, as I put it, it's public enemy number one.
Let's just think of it that way and crack it.
That's right.
Right, right.
Now we've just got to win...
hr one and we'll take that up next week and that's next well the uh what do you think of all this hullabaloo about the new york times it's not the goddamnedest thing well uh
I have mixed emotions in some respect.
I just didn't publish.
Yeah, I know, I know.
It really exposes the other side, I understand.
But that's not right.
But as you know, what they did, though, they really are trafficking and stolen goods.
Sure.
And hurting the country.
Boy, I'll tell you, they lost me with that one.
Well, it doesn't do any of their people any good, including Hubert, etc.,
Yeah, Hubert's really crawling, isn't he?
I think we ought to just sit back, other than the legal issue.
Yeah.
We should sit back and... Let them fight?
Let them explain.
Yeah, right.
Okay, Jerry.
All right, thank you, Mr. President.
Okay, good night.
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